HMBL Zay shares plans for a 1,000-mile walk through Canada – NBC10 Philadelphia

After walking about 3,000 miles from Philadelphia to California, community activist Isaiah “HMBL Zay” Thomas is already preparing for his next challenge: a 1,000-mile journey through Canada.

Thomas, who returned to Philadelphia a few weeks ago, said he plans to begin the Canada trip in October. His goal is to complete the journey in 30 days, covering about 35 miles each day.

“And Canada, that’s like my next mission, is to do 1,000 miles in Canada,” Thomas said. “Right back to it.”

The new challenge comes after Thomas completed a cross-country walk that began in March. He crossed the Arizona border in late July and streamed the entire trip on Twitch.

The journey took a physical toll. Thomas said he lost about 50 pounds during the walk, and at one point, a driver hit him, sending him to the hospital. Still, he continued the trip.

Now back home, Thomas said he’s feeling strong.

“I feel good, I feel amazing. I got energy,” Thomas said.

Thomas began the cross-country mission to inspire others and raise $200,000 for a trade school he plans to call “Humbl University.”

“In the next two to three years, I would like Humbl University to be built from ground up,” Thomas said. “So that’s the timeline for me. So I’m going to work super hard.”

His efforts earned him one of Philadelphia’s highest honors this week, when the mayor presented him with a key to the city Monday.

“It put a lot of pressure on me, cause I’m the type of person who likes to live up to the expectation of whatever type of title or whatever I’m doing,” Thomas said.

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For Thomas, the walk was about more than reaching California. He said he hopes the journey encourages children and adults to believe in themselves.

“Be ready to walk on faith in this journey. And that’s what I brought back to the city of Philadelphia,” Thomas said. “Really just trying to help kids, and even adults believe in themselves.”

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.